Some argue strongly for the retention of des

The debate on the sale of music online without limiting or preventing the copy DRM, acronym for "digital rights management" the famous takes on increasing importance in France, and, above all, it is more taboo. It starts with a simple observation: the legal sale of music on the Internet takes off in France. A statistic reported at the beginning the year by the GfK Institute brand spirits

For some, the reason for this semi-échec is simple: DRM failed to curb piracy, they prevent the real emergence of the online music market, and, at the same time, they contribute to lock for the benefit of those developing formats owners, Apple and Microsoft head, preventing interoperability. "For reasons have become obsolete now, DRM penalize consumers who legally buy the music on the Internet", said Vincent Frèrebeau, President of the label sooner or later. They are indeed very badly perceived by consumers, most often misunderstanding and frustration. When downloading music on the Internet without paying has any freedom to listen, share, transfer the file, one that pays a euro per song on VirginMega or FNAC has a limited number of copies and possibilities of transfer and is sometimes locked in a technological nightmare. "Labels are very aware of their artistic work, but we, we, distributors, much closer to the final consumer and better know his expectations", said Frank Leprou, Director General of the Fnac website

As a result, dealers Fnac and VirginMega in mind began selling songs without protection, by signing agreements with small producers. FNAC provides sale to thousands of music files without DRM on its site here at the end of 2007. This number remains, of course, a drop of water among its references million. But the movement would soon spreading. Major French independent producers, such as Wagram Music or naive, are ready to move up a gear and offer all or part of their catalog without these very criticized protective devices.

More nuanced positions

The subject was discussed last week at a Council of the SPPF, the civil society of independent producers. "A large number of independent producers questioned the need and the interest of maintaining digital locks only for the sale as a download." "They believe that interoperability is becoming an absolute emergency with the explosion of the sale of digital music players and are concerned about the dominant position that seek to ensure the giants of the computing through their proprietary formats," says Jerome Roger, Director General of the SPPF. But the SPPF has not yet adopted position decided on the subject, some producers holding that it is not necessary to remove the DRM interoperability and developing the market.

With the majors (Universal Music, Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music), the debates are identical. Some argue strongly for the retention of des. "We cannot fight effectively against piracy and, at the same time, market our content without DRM." "This system is a technical and psychological protection against the illegal spread of files, thereby ensuring digital revenue to our artists," and believes Julie Demarigny, responsible for the digital at Warner Music France. Others have more nuanced positions. EMI said, very carefully, "watching closely" developments in digital music. "There is a debate within the sector on the opportunity to remove the DRM on certain titles to ensure interoperability, because the market for online music continued to grow." "This could be an interim measure until the actual interoperability is not assured," said Marc Guez, Director General of the COPCS, the civil society gathering including four majors. The debate is open for 2007.